Hot Tubs-Hot Tub Maintenance New London CT

Like most folks who buy a hot tub, we wanted one as a new source of fun and relaxation. We gave little thought to bacterial issues and water-quality monitoring. The literature for the tub gave us the impression that the additional self-metering, built-in bromine tablet dispenser was all we'd need to maintain our sanitary oasis, a source of comfort for achy bones. Large enough to accommodate six,...

Hot Tub Bacteria

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Like most folks who buy a hot tub, we wanted one as a new source of fun and relaxation. We gave little thought to bacterial issues and water-quality monitoring. The literature for the tub gave us the impression that the additional self-metering, built-in bromine tablet dispenser was all we'd need to maintain our sanitary oasis, a source of comfort for achy bones.

Large enough to accommodate six, we enjoyed soaking under snowy skies. But then it started. Odors and murky foam along the edges. We added chemicals. And the pH tests became a daily routine. Yet we had a nagging feeling something wasn't right. Wrongly, I'd assumed that the hot tub was no different than a pool. Then I got a startling revelation one day; it occurred to me that when you compare the volume of water between a pool and a hot tub while considering body mass, two people in the tub equates to 600 people in the pool! Imagine the havoc that wreaks on the chemical balance! I also learned that rise in water temperature, every 10° F, doubles the effect of chemical reactions. And there are good reasons why just two bodies can create rapid chemical changes within the hot tub's environment. We people are covered with residual soap, perfume, deodorant, dead skin, loose hair, a host of body oils and good ol' goo! On top of that, we sweat profusely in hot water. You've surely noticed signs at public or health-club pools requesting you to shower before entering the hot tub, but we all plunk our unwashed bodies into one at home without a second thought. Consider a pre-wash and limit soaking time.

What's all this goo going to do for a hot-tub environment? Why, bacterial growth, of course. If you ignore the need for simple maintenance, you'll be setting up a bacterial stew.

There's that Legionella thing again, and this time, we're providing the ideal temperature ranges too. There's also the risk Cryptosporidium, Giardia, E. coli and Shigella. Rounding up our basic intro to bacteria is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that revels in hot-tub environs, which typically causes skin rashes and can be deadly in rare cases. Changing the water seems somehow foreign, but the formula goes like this: No more than 30 days between water changes, or divide 1/3 of the volume by the number of daily users to arrive at the frequency of complete water change-outs.

Filters must be changed no less than twice a year and preferably more often. Harsh cleaning with pressure washers or chemicals can destroy good filter performance. If you start out on a daily monitoring program and avail yourself of classes gladly taught by local hot-tub dealers, you can easily avoid the stew and the goo.

The problem with swimming pools is what goes into them. To keep them safe in New London, you have to add chemicals like chlorine, which not only detract from the swimming experience but cost serious money as well. Europeans, however, are increasingly turning to nature for an alternative. "Natural pools" aren't kept clean with chemicals.